Fender brace



July 28, 1925.

N. C. BARNES FENDER BRACE Filed April 1'7, 1925 Patented July 28, 1925,

UNITED STATES NATHANIEL C. BARNES, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

FENDER, BRACE.

Application filed April 17, 1925. Serial No. 23,846.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL U. BARNES, a citizen of the United States, re sidin in Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Fender Brace, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bracing means for automobile fenders to hold the fenders rigidly in place and prevent vibration, rattling and breakage.

A particular object of the present invention is to provide an improved fender brace so designed and constructed as to eliminate vibration of the parts of the brace itself between the members designed to be braced.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved fender brace so designed as to facilitate packing and to permit the disassembled parts to be disposed in a package of minimum length.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved fender brace in which the several members employed for connecting the two fender form members are as near as possible of uniform weight per lineal inch throughout their lengths.

Still a further object is to provide a pair of fender form connecting rods having parts at one end adapted to coact with the fender forms and having; their free ends oppositely threaded for receiving a tubular member having interiorly arranged screw threads for connection with the ends of said connecting rods, whereby the fenders may be drawn towards each other, the rods and tubular member being substantially the same length from end to end and substantially the same weight per lineal inch of their length.

Still a. further object is to provide a fender brace structure composed of a minimum number of parts and adapted to be secured to the fenders of an automobile of the Ford type, wherein the fenders may be braced against movement toward or from each other by means of a pair of tender forms adapted to rest upon the fenders themselves and coact with the outer marginal bead thereof and to connect the two fender forms together by a pair of rods and a tubular member.

Still a further object is to. employ two rods and a tubular member adjustably connected together for varying the distance between the two fender forms, the ends of the rods adjacent the fender forms being beveled and adapted to abut against the apron of the fenders themselves, when the two fender forms together with the fenders are drawn toward each other by movement of the tubular member relative to the two rods to which it is connected, thus bracing the fenders against undue movement towards each other and yet retaining them by means of the outer marginal beads engaging with the ,fender forms against un due outward movement.

Still a further object is to provide a fender brace structure adapted to maintain the inner and outer marginal edges of the fenders in substantial horizonal alinement, even when tension is applied to the fenders by means of the fender brace structure.

It may be here mentioned that in a fender brace structure embodying a connection between two spaced fenders, it is desirable to provide an adjustable connecting means of substantially equal weight per lineal inch from one fender to the other fender, so as to prevent undue upward and downward vibration when the automobile is traveling over rough roads, and it is my object to provide connecting rods and a tubular member all of substantially the same length from end to end and having substantially the same weight of material per lineal inch so as to avoid any undue vibration that might be caused by parts of unequal weight.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the-various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved fender brace in assembled relation but detached from a vehicle.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing one of the braces arranged in position for use on the forward end of an automobile.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal, sectional View of a portion of the device, on an enlarged scale substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure t is a perspective, Sectional View, showing; the; connection, between thQvlfQIlQlBIfi 1; form andathe connecting rod; randii Figure 5 is a detail, perspective vicwnot the inner end portion phones 0f,the fendei; i. clamps.

The numerals 10 and 11 designate opposedfenders of an automobile and 12 and 13 are tender clamps or forms adaptedztoa-be diS-; posed transversely of said fenders.

The tender clamps or-.for1ns12 and :13 are formed of 1 metal straps and preferably are shaped to conform; substantially, to the cons tour ofthe uppersurfaceioftheufenders, and said clamps are alike in; constrnctioni-butn areioppositely arranged. .1 Eachfender clamp I 12 and 13 :is formed. at its! outer end with 1 a hook 14 :adapted to; zengagethelouter edge. or bead of the-tender .on which his mounted.

The inneri endstofithetclampslQ. and 13.: are; substantially straight and zinl a: horizontal plane,. andextend ill'lWfllfCl ibeyonditheiinv ner! marginal. edge of 'the fenders upon a which :-they rest;

A :slot 15; as shown inkrFigure 5 is formed; i in the portion extendingubeyondsthesinner; edgeofthewfen'derl Goacting tieJrOds; 16 andl'F- are provided, which :areal'so Billifiglfli construction but op: positely:ia-rrangedyand leach; is threaded). at llZS'lDKlGIl end. At their outer lends r .thetie 1 rods are; 1 formed with ofiset rSllflIlkS.ai18i.-6X tending; outwardlytszand downwardlyv in in.- clined positions and I terminating Mini. ishortz jaws 19; substantially:- parallelwith the beds ies'sof the; rodsrlandu-preferablynbeveled: at c their ends ion angles opposite: to the i=nclina- 1 tien of theoii'setushanks The offset shanks. 181101 tlieitiezrods-=l6i F1 and 17 are; adapted itoebewpl-aced respectively through the slotsal5 of the projecting ainnen ends not the fender iclamps l2; aurie-131 with the beveled :j aws; engaging inathe angle" be n tween 1 the v inner I-IIEIIglHEILbGZLCloQOY of. la; fender ,10 or. 11, ancl.,tli-e1apnon,21ion 22;-which extenzdsn downwardly" "and inwardly toward 1 5 the.hody ofthe' automobile] i'essure is applied manually: toareauseuthe tie .rods to assume a horizontal .zlQOSlfilOIllZlIl'Ch i 2 said tie rods; acting asileuers with ItlIGJlI-illla-z: clined shanks l8fextending-ithrougha the slots tediholestlfi of thefender-clamps;asocfulr,1i cr unsacause thej aws 19. ital-forcibly engages the inner: marginah beads-200i? ztheifenders: as clearly shown in Figure e otetheadrawe. ingsi This action i-causes :the .fender i-clamps 12v and- "13' .to :be .pressedatightly' against :the; i tops of theitendersfland toiexert anriipward 1i and inward pull on .the outer portions ofi'said fenders through theifhooks 14cm .2

The threaded, in'neriends of: i-thestie :rods; i lti and Hare adjustablysconnected hymen-11$ of a tubular member 23 which is oppositely threaded interiorly at its ends, and said connecting member is threaded upon said tie rods to the extent necessary to place the fenders-unden llhQwClQSllQdtrtGl'lSiQlEI- to; prevent vibration and sagging in use.

Theuinner ends oi the rods 16 and 17 are tapered for permitting easy insertion and threading of the rods into the tubular member.- 23.

The tubular connecting member 23 may be formedwithl-a transverse hole 2-1 to receive a. nail or other suitable tool for convenience in rotatingtitn The .two tieHrods- 16 and 17i iandithew cons nectingrmember 23 are of: substantially uni form: length; each occupyinge practically one.-: .a third oi the distance -lbetweencthectwo Jfena. dersand fender clamps,

The tubular memben itself: is U of uniform weight throughout. its length rand substantially the same weight per lineal :inch ias theza rods 16 (and U17. I a have; foundn that thisi 1 arrangement tends to prevent :oniiminimize a the amount; of vibration: of the t brace LStI'llCr ture itself 1 when the automobile is in motion as, there is no disproportionate? :amountaxotu r weight atuany point in :the connecting means and particularly :ncar the .centeri WhGIfivztlIfi w vibration would: naturally be greatest,

Therunitorm length oftherodsandkone: V necting, member: also-makes for convenience i in, packing the disassembled partsvof the Idem: vice for shipping and makes it possible tool use a package; of minimum length and v not much greater "than the length Hoff any: x0110; of these parts. i

The connecting parts between thGntWO fenders being all. rot substantiallywthev same i length and i fweight" makes ,for; i appearance and; at the same time gives; the; rigidity and stabilityi necessary in@ a fender. brace StI'uC: titre. V

This application is -a continuation ipart: of, my application filed FAugust 18,--'1924;=:

Somenchangeslnay beijmadeainwthez con StI'LICtlOIlarfiJLCl. arrangement of the various I parts of- 'myuinyention, withoutodeparting from the realspirit andapurposeuoii myciir vention, and it is myintention tOl cover by my claims,; any modified :formsxof structure .or use of mechanical equivalents, which may;

be reasonablyiincluded;within1theirfscopew I claim as: my: inventionm 1. {A tender; b11166) tfor. automobiles; com:- prising :a pair of I hooked :clamp: members i adapted to engage the outer marginal edgesu ofithe fenders andloverlying:the innergrmarginal :c edges of the tenders, -a connecting member between the clamp kmembers icomf-n. prising three: cylindrical U I'OdS'i of isubstan-ea tiallyi =uniform1 length; :adaptingi :thenrv fOIm conuenient' packing, and shippingqthe 1.;two end rods telescoping into and tightlyafittinga the ends of the middle rod whereby the rod when in use will be larger at its center section to prevent bending, the free ends of said two outer rods adapted to engage said clamp members, and thereby affording a rigid substantially inflexible connection between the fenders.

2. A fender brace for automobiles, oomprising a pair of clamp members having hooks adapted to engage the outer marginal edges of the fenders and overlying the inner marginal edges of the fenders, a connecting member between the clamp members comprising three cylindrical rods of substantially uniform length adj ustably connected by right and left-hand screw threads, the intermediate rod being of tubular form throughout its length and internally screw threaded at its ends for telescopically receiving the screw threaded ends of the outer rods of said connecting member for preventing bending of the connecting member between its ends the free ends of the outer rods adapted to engage said clamp members, and said clamp members may be tightened upon the fenders or released, thereby affording a rigid substantially inflexible and adjustable connection between the fenders. Des Moines, Iowa, April 2, 1925.

NATHANIEL C. BARNES. 

